Bishop David A. Bard assigned to Michigan Area

Transcription

1 Print Edition Jurisdictional Conference Digest July 2016 Bishop David A. Bard assigned to Michigan Area He arrived in Peoria as the Senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church in Duluth, Minnesota. Then he was elected to the episcopacy on July 13 and consecrated to the office on July 16. David A. Bard left Peoria as the next bishop of The Michigan Area of The United Methodist Church. ~mic photo/mark Doyal KAY DEMOSS Senior News Editor-Writer PEORIA, Illinois July 16, 2016 On Saturday of the North Central Jurisdictional Conference the action moved from seats in the Peoria Civic Center to pews in the Peoria First United Methodist Church. There delegates witnessed, first-hand, who their episcopal leader will be come September 1, During the reception that followed the Consecration Service, the Rev. John Boley, West Michigan Reserve Delegate and new Assistant to the Bishop of The Michigan Area noted, David Bard is going to be a gift to us. He is coming in with lots of experience and the kind of personality that we are going to build on. We will be blessed by his presence. I am extremely excited that David Bard has been appointed to our Conference. I think he will continue the energy that Bishop Deb has See... BARD p. 5

2 Page 2 MIConnect July 2016 Michigan Meanderings July 2016 MIConnect provides the official news of The Michigan Area of The United Methodist Church. This printable edition is a summary of the month s top news published online every Wednesday in MIConnect Weekly. Find the rest of the story at MichiganUMC.org. Bishop Deborah L. Kiesey Publisher Mark Doyal Editor Kay DeMoss We are 800 churches making disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Connected in the Spirit with our neighbors, we are making a difference across the state of Michigan. Michigan Area Putting FAITH in ACTION 1011 Northcrest Road Lansing MI Direct comments & stories to Mark Doyal mark@miareaumc.org Bishop Deborah Lieder Kiesey When the college assigned me the task of giving the Episcopal Address at this 2016 North Central Jurisdictional Conference, I admit that the thought of this task was a bit daunting. We have such great preachers here in the North Central Jurisdiction: preachers who can inspire and call to action; preachers who can see the trends and the statistical direction of our jurisdiction and general church; preachers who can parse scripture and bring it to life; preachers who are visionaries and can help us see the future God sees for us. So, yes I found this invitation daunting. I also knew that the 2016 General Conference was likely to be a watershed General Conference: one that would once again bring us to the edge of schism if not over that edge; one that would again be filled with pain and frustration, winners and losers. So, I struggled. ~Bishop Deb shared the Episcopal Address The Heartbeat of God at the 2016 Jurisdictional Conferences. Available here and on video~ What could I possibly say here today that has not already been said before and probably said much more eloquently than I could say? What Word could I bring that would remind us of the Good News of Jesus Christ that overarches all our differences? What Hope could I offer that reminds us Who we are, and Whose we are? How could I possibly express the powerful healing presence of God to hurting, anxiety-filled, frightened United Methodists, for whom the future is uncertain? I couldn t seem to find the right words. And that s a scary thought to a preacher! Because I love words! I love the power and images they can portray. In fact, in preparing for today, I did a quick, general count of the number of words I have preached in my 42 years since my ordination as a deacon. With a rough estimate of about 2500 words per sermon; and approximately 48 Sundays per year I was in the local church; plus the sermons I have preached since serving as a DS and Bishop; I came up with nearly 3 million words! (And that doesn t count funerals, weddings, keynote addresses, and those times we are asked to just say a few words. ) Three million words? Really? As I said, I love words. I believe in the power and beauty of words. But sometimes words just can t do it for me. Sometimes I need something more visceral something that goes beyond the concreteness of words. Especially in this time of uncertainty, there is an See.... BISHOP p. 4

3 Page 3 MIConnect July 2016 Bishop Haller Iowa-bound KAY DEMOSS Sr. Editor-Writer, Michigan The Rev. Laurie Haller of the West Michigan Conference was elected by the North Central Jurisdictional Conference Thursday, July 14. Haller currently serves as the Senior Pastor of Birmingham 1 st United Methodist Church, Detroit Conference. She was elected on the 13th ballot with 132 votes. I am the first bishop ever to be elected with a visible black eye, she said addressing the body after election. I got it from a stray piece of airplane luggage and decided not to cover it up. It reminds me that I offer myself in utter transparency, honesty and vulnerability. She continued, It reminds me of all who live under oppression and those with wounds so deep that no one knows they exist. Balloting that could have stretched through the day suddenly came to a close at noon on Thursday after a series of gracious concessions. First to step aside, before the initial ballot of the morning, was the Rev. Kennetha Bigham-Tsai, also of West Michigan. Quoting Native American Ray Buckley, she said, Let us call ourselves the nothing in between people. That is my hope for the UMC. Two nominees from Iowa --the Rev. Dr. Lillian Gallo Seagren and Rev. Dr. Barrie Tritle soon followed. Then came the Rev. Dr. Gary George (East Ohio) still strong in vote-getting, who stepped aside saying, I leave you with three things. Hold on to Jesus Christ. Hold on to one another. Reach out for the sake of the gospel and transform the world. The Rev. Sylvester Weatherall (Illinois Great Rivers) thanked delegates for their support with a gracious Bishop Sally Dyck assists in the consecration of Laurie Haller and other new bishops during worship on July 16 in Peoria, IL. ~ncj communications photo Bishop Laurie Haller introduced moments after election by Dr. Maggie Jackson, Chair of the North Central Jurisdictional Episcopacy Committee. ~ncj communications photo and resounding, "God is not finished with us yet!" Haller s election followed. Nichea Ver Veer Guy, Chair of the West Michigan Delegation said, I am excited that everyone else now gets to discover the Laurie Haller we all know and love. I am just so proud of the way she and all the delegates have handled this is such an example for us. Wayne Bank, Lay Delegate from Detroit added, I was with Laurie on a 900 mile bike trip for Imagine No Malaria and every person she met, she wanted to listen and hear their story, share Jesus love and build community. Laurie brings an amazing depth of spirituality, said Alex Plum, another of Detroit s Lay Delegates. It is not enough for us to rely on politics or look at the divisions, if we are going to have true unity that only comes in Jesus Christ. Laurie s commitment to Christ is the promise she brings to this church. The new bishop is the latest in a series of women elected from the West Michigan Conference, beginning with the historic consecration of Bishop Marjorie Matthews in Matthews was the first woman to enter the episcopacy of The United Methodist Church. Bishop Sharon Zimmerman Rader was then elected in 1992 while serving as Superintendent of the Grand Rapids District. In addition, Bishop Linda Lee, of the Detroit Conference, was elected in the year 2000 having the endorsement of the West Michigan Conference. Haller was carried by the endorsement of the combined Michigan Area Delegation to General and Jurisdictional Conference. She, along with the Rev. Kennetha Bigham-Tsai, received a vote of acclamation from members of the 2016 West Michigan Conference. See HALLER p. 12

4 Page 4 MIConnect July 2016 BISHOP from page 2 inherent desire of human beings to try to make sense out of the chaos and questions of our lives and our faith. And I just couldn t find the right words to get at that ongoing disquiet we seem to feel today... an underlying fear that is permeating our lives our faith and our church. When words fail, we seek deeper ways to make sense of life. Reinhold Niebuhr said, There are some things in theology you can t say with words. That s where I am. Maybe just maybe our hearts today need to hear the message of Jesus Christ in a different way. Maybe we can experience the Good News of Christ through something other than words. Bishop Deborah Lieder Kiesey preached the Episcopal Address at the North Central Jurisdictional Conference from pulpit and piano bench. ~mic photo/ Mark Doyal Maybe there is another way we can sense the healing, encompassing presence of God. Maybe today we can experience the Hope of the Good News instead of just talking about it. So I turned to something that, for me, goes deeper than words music. Hans Christian Anderson remarked, Where words fail, music speaks. That s why worship must be more than just words. That s why there is something unifying and uplifting when we lift our voices together in song. That s why even in the midst of great chaos, it is often music that comes to our hearts, our souls, and our lips. Theologian, author and educator, Dr. Marva Dawn, puts it this way, Music, songs, sermons, liturgical form, architecture, are all means by which God invites, reveals, and forms us. (from A Royal Waste of Time: The Splendor of Worshiping God and Being Church for the World ) Where words fail, music speaks. In September, 2014, Karl Paulnack, a noted pianist, gave the Welcome Address to the incoming freshmen at Boston s Conservatory of Music. His words have become something of a classic. In that address he says that the ancient Greeks believed music and astronomy were two sides of the same coin. Astronomy was seen as the study of relationships between observable, external objects. And music was seen as the study of relationships between invisible, internal, hidden objects. They believed that music has a way of finding the big, invisible, moving pieces inside our souls, and helping us figure out what s going on inside. He goes on to share this story: In September of 2001 I was a resident of Manhattan. On the morning of September 12, 2001 I sat down at the piano to practice as was my daily routine;... I lifted the cover on the keyboard, and opened my music, and put my hands on the keys and took my hands off the keys. And I sat there and thought, does this even matter? Isn't this completely irrelevant? Playing the piano right now, given what happened in this city yesterday, seems silly, absurd, irreverent, pointless. What place has a musician in this moment in time? I was completely lost. I did not play the piano that day, and in fact I contemplated briefly whether I would ever want to play again. And then I observed how we got through the day. At least in my neighborhood, we didn't shoot hoops or play Scrabble. We didn't watch TV, we didn't shop, we most certainly did not go to the mall. The first organized activity that I saw in New York, on the very evening of September 11th, was singing. People sang. People sang around fire houses, people sang "We Shall Overcome." Lots of people sang America the Beautiful. The first organized public event that I remember was the Brahms Requiem, later that week, at Lincoln Center The first organized public expression of grief, our first communal response to See... BISHOP p. 10

5 Page 5 MIConnect July 2016 BARD from page 1 started as we come together as a new conference, said Jackie Euper, Detroit Lay Delegate and member of the North Central Jurisdiction s Episcopacy Committee. I think he has the skills and the vision to do what we need to have done in Michigan, Euper concluded. The Rev. Benton Heisler, another person who participated in the decision to bring Bishop Bard to Michigan added, I feel the people of Michigan have been blessed with an excellent new episcopal leader. His infectious smile, strategic thinking, collaborative approach and compassionate spirit will be gifts for us all. A West Michigan Clergy Delegate, Heisler was brought into the process as an alternate when Episcopacy Committee member Laurie Haller left that role upon her election as bishop. Earlier in the week on July 13 the West Michigan and Detroit Conference delegates participated in the Rev. Dr. David A. Bard s election. Minnesota s first nominee to be elected bishop, Bard gained the 60% of the votes he needed on the10th ballot, taken Wednesday evening. He immediately took a seat among the North Central College of Bishops. Assignments for all nine bishops of the North Central Jurisdiction are as follows: Dakotas-Minnesota: Bishop Bruce R. Ough; East Ohio: Bishop Tracy S. Malone; Illinois Great Rivers: Bishop Frank J. Beard; Indiana: Bishop Julius C. Trimble; Iowa: Bisshop Laurie A. Haller; Michigan: Bishop David A. Bard; Northern Illinois: Bishop Sally Dyck; West Ohio: Bishop Gregory V. Palmer; and Wisconsin: Bishop Hee-Soo Jung. During the Memorial Service on June 8 Bishop Deb baptized Joshua James Reynolds, infant son of Detroit clergy couple Jon Reynolds and Lindsay Hall. The sacramental waters were taken from the basin that received the memorial Just as these five episcopal leaders and Areas embark on a fresh start in these new assignments come September, the North Central College of Bishops itself moves into a new beginning with nearly 50% turn-over in leadership. Four NCJ bishops enter retirement in 2016: Bishop Michael J. Coyner (IN); Bishop John L. Hopkins (EO); Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton (IL-GR); and Bishop Deborah Lieder Kiesey (MI). Bishop Deb goes home to retirement in Iowa with joy saying, I am thrilled to have Bishop Bard coming to Michigan. You ll fall in love with him. And he will fall in love with you. He is relational. He is a gentle soul. He s creative. He s a good listener. He is just going to help Michigan move where it wants to go. The 2016 North Central Jurisdictional Conference ended with a reception for its spiritual leaders. Ruby Anderson was one of those attending the reception. Ruby, a Detroit Lay Delegate said with enthusiasm, I am excited! God makes no mistakes. I greeted Bishop Bard yesterday and his wife, Julie. Today is just a wonderful, warm confirmation that all is in order. Nichea Ver Veer Guy, head of the West Michigan Delegation, called Bishop Bard, an exciting, openminded, warm, genuine person, and asserted, it is going to be a great ride. The Rev. Megan Walther was impressed with Bishop Bard s words shared during nominee forums and noted, It sounds like he is a leader who will listen and we need that right now. The Rev. Joel Walther, a Minnesotan, added, I just think that more Minnesota in Michigan will always be better. See.... BARD p. 6

6 Page 6 MIConnect July 2016 BARD from page 5 Seated l-r: Bishop Frank J. Beard, Illinois Great Rivers; Bishop Laurie A. Haller, Iowa; Bishop David A. Bard, Michigan; Bishop Tracy S. Malone, East Ohio. Standing l-r: Bishop Julius Trimble, Indiana; Bishop Bruce R. Ough, Dakotas- Minnesota; Bishop Gregory V. Palmer, West Ohio; Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, Wisconsin; and Bishop Sally Dyck, N. Illinois. Alex Plum, another Lay Delegate from Detroit experienced a flashback moment during Saturday ceremonies. I remember in 2004 standing next to the late Rev. Terry Gladstone when David Bard first ran for the episcopacy. He was Terry s favorite candidate. Plum spoke of a special joy he felt on July 16, 2016, not just for what I know about what Bishop Bard will contribute to The Michigan Area. But it is beautiful to see the legacy and hope for the church, that Terry saw, now come to fruition for Michigan. Detroit Conference Clergy Delegate Deacon Laura Speiran had a unique perspective on the Consecration Service as a participant. It was such a thrill to be representing all Deacons in the Jurisdiction helping with Communion and handwashing. I remember thinking, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity that will never happen again for me. I just wanted to enjoy it. Laura Witkowski, a first-time Reserve Lay Delegate for West Michigan, was in Portland for General Conference and now in Peoria participating in the election of leaders. Laura summed up the mood of many when she stated, I am an emotional wreck. The Consecration Service was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen! We are very proud of Bishop Laurie and Bishop Deb and really excited about Bishop David Bard. I feel that over the last couple of months I have seen the highs and lows of the United Methodist Church and this is a high.

7 Page 7 MIConnect July 2016 Honor Bishop Deb and change a child s life in Flint KAY DEMOSS Senior Editor-Writer, Michigan For months bottled water has been pouring into Flint to provide for the needs of those affected by the water emergency. And the Crossroads District is grateful for each and every ounce. Government efforts continue toward the restoration of a safe water supply. But city, state and federal officials have yet to provide residents any target date by which they believe Flint water will be safe to drink again without a filter. As churches consider how they might help, donations of bottled water are still needed. But those interested in a more lasting and life -changing contribution should consider a gift to the Flint Children s Fund. Bishop Deborah Lieder Kiesey will retire on September 1, 2016 and Michigan United Methodists want to say goodbye in a way that she values. Bishop Deb is especially concerned with the long-term impact of the lead poisoning on Flint s children. She has requested that her ministry be honored by helping these most vulnerable children. Children suffer daily and that suffering will stretch into their growing up years due to the developmental impact of the contaminated water. Gifts to the Flint Children s Fund will be used to provide direct services to the children of Flint. The United Methodist churches of Flint and their partner organizations in the city will collaborate in these efforts focusing on: Early Childhood Education Programs A better diet is just one of the factors in assuring a brighter future for the kids of Flint. ~Facebook/Asbury Nutritional Programs Children s Community Ministries Children s and adult caregiver s emotional resilience A gift to this cause may be made with a check payable to the Detroit Conference Treasurer; memo to Flint Children s Fund. Mail check to David Dobbs at 1309 N. Ballenger Hwy, Suite 1, Flint MI At the Michigan Annual Conference in June the Area Episcopacy Committee gave Bishop Deb a Peace Pole on behalf of her Michigan flock. A gift in her honor to the Flint Children s Fund will bring some peace and hope into the lives of the littlest lambs whom she loves. Asbury Community orchard and garden has been planted to address the effects of lead poisoning with healthy, nutritious food. ~Facebook photo/asbury Church

8 Page 8 MIConnect July 2016 NCJ 2016 Photo Album Retired Bishop Woodie White (l) joins Bishop John Hopkins in prayer during opening worship on July 15 in the Peoria Civic Center. ~ncj communications photo Bishop Laurie Haller shares the bread of life with West Michigan Lay Reserve Delegate Laura Witkowski. ~ncj communications photo Diane Brown, Lay Delegate from the Detroit Conference, brought many hats to the stage in order to explain a change in NCJ procedure. ~ncj communications photo The Rev. Kennetha BIgham-Tsai was the first of several nominees who graciously stepped aside on Thursday, July 14 to facilitate the election of the fourth bishop for the NCJ, the Rev. Laurie Haller. ~ncj communications photo

9 Page 9 MIConnect July 2016 The Rev. Marsha Woolley presented motions that enable the Detroit and West Michigan conferences to form one Michigan Conference no later than January 1, ~ncj photo Bishops Gregory V. Palmer (left) and Jonathan D. Keaton (right) participate in the consecration of Bishop Laurie Haller. ~ncj communications photo Rev. Art Scanson poses with one of the crosiers he created for the newly elected bishops of the North Central Jurisdiction. The woodworking is an expression of Art s faith. ~jlynn studios photo The Rev. Laura Speiran, Detroit Conference Clergy Delegate was one of two Deacons who helped with worship leadership on July 16 at Peoria 1st UMC. ~ ncj communications photo

10 Page 10 MIConnect July 2016 BISHOP from page 4 that historic event, was a concert. The US Military secured the airspace, but recovery was led by music that very night. From these experiences, I have come to understand that music is not part of "arts and entertainment"... It's not a luxury, a lavish thing that we fund from leftovers of our budgets,... Music is a basic need of human survival. Music is one of the ways we make sense of our lives, one of the ways in which we express feelings when we have no words, a way for us to understand things with our hearts when we can't with our minds. Maybe just maybe that s what I need today instead of words. Maybe just maybe it s what we all need today. Jeremy Begbie, in his book, Resounding Truth: Christian Wisdom in the World of Music, shares some insights into a theology of music. He talks about a pattern in musical structure called Equilibrium Tension Resolution ETR. A pattern that is, by the way, also prevalent in the human existence. We humans go along smoothly = Equilibrium. Something happens that brings chaos, disruption, and uncertainty = Tension. Eventually we find a way through all that disruption = Resolution. It s a journey of sorts one that is familiar in our lives and throughout the biblical texts. Creation Fall Redemption Promised Land Exile Return- Home Far land Return home- Life Death - Resurrection. Music has these same rhythms Equilibrium Tension Resolution. It s these rhythms that keep the music moving forward that keep it from becoming boring or repetitive. Music can t be just a straight line from beginning to end. Nor is it just a series of ETRs over and over until the end. But music reminds us that, as much as we would prefer not to experience Retiring Bishops John L. Hopkins (E Ohio), Deborah Lieder Kiesey (Michigan), Jonathan D. Keaton (Illinois Great Rivers), and Michael J. Coyner (Indiana) are recognized by the NCJ Conference. ~ncj photo the Tensions that come with life (and faith) and just live a simple, uncomplicated, existence it isn t possible. Life isn t like that. Our lives or the life of the church. Marty Linsky said: A great piece of music makes beauty out of chaos. Music (remember the Greeks here finding the pieces within us and helping us figure them out) teaches us not to hurry through the tension, but to find joy and fulfillment in the midst of the struggle. In music (as in life) you can t pass over the Tension. You have to pass through it. One final thought. In a painting you can have two separate colors on the canvas but they can t exist in the same space without becoming something else. Blue and red in the same space become purple. Red and yellow become orange. But the miracle of music is that you can have two different notes occupying the same space each quite different from the other but you don t lose the uniqueness of each note. Together they make the whole richer and deeper. One enhances the other. Now, let me say that again but listen to how it relates to where we are as the United Methodist Church. The miracle of music is that you can have two different notes occupying the same space each quite different from the other but you don t lose the uniqueness of each note. Together they make the whole richer and deeper. One enhances the other. Just listen to how Jeremy Begbie describes this: If I play a note on a piano say, a middle C what I hear fills the whole of See BISHOP p. 11

11 Page 11 MIConnect July 2016 BISHOP... from page 10 my heard space. I cannot identify some zone where the heard note is and a zone where it is not. I do not say It is here but not here. If I play a second note along with the middle C say, the E above it that second note also fills the whole of my heard space, the same space as the C. Yet I hear the notes as distinct from each other. The notes interpenetrate, occupy the same heard space, but I can hear them as two notes. Here is not the space of mutual exclusion but a space that allows for overlapping and interpenetration. Suppose I play middle C and open up the string an octave above by silently depressing the appropriate key. The upper C string will vibrate even though it has not been struck. The strings are not in competition, nor do they simply allow each other room to vibrate. The lower string enhances and brings to life the upper string, freeing it to be itself and compromising neither the integrity of the upper string nor its own. Now there s a lesson for us all. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored all rejoice together with it. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (I Cor. 12:26-27) Maybe just maybe music can touch the invisible parts of our hearts and souls and can teach us something about the world as God has created it as God sees it as God hopes it can be. So today I want to offer you a gift that helps me get in touch with the invisible, moving pieces inside my soul. The gift of music. The piece I will play for you is the second movement of Beethoven s Sonata #7 in D major. This piece has been an important part of my life and faith story. Let me share what I hear when I play this piece. When I first learned this piece I was told the story (which may be apocryphal) that Beethoven wrote this particular movement at the time he realized he was going deaf. If you listen carefully you will hear the agony of that realization in the tension and unresolved chords and movements of the early part of this piece. Just imagine how devastating it would be to have your soul filled with the beauty and genius of the music Beethoven created but also knowing the day was coming when you would no longer be able to physically hear the music itself. So the piece begins with struggle with wrestling with the sadness and frustration and fear something we all know too well, both in our lives, in our faith, and in our beloved United Methodist Church. Then, part way through, you begin to hear a quiet beat in the left hand. A steady, constant beat. A heartbeat, if you will. The heartbeat of God. That steady beat continues, but in different keys and in different ways. You have to listen a little more carefully for it, but it s there. You can still hear the fear, the pain, the chaos but God s heartbeat is still there. We then return to a reprise of the opening measures with the agony and the unresolved chords. But slowly slowly the heartbeat is heard again underlying the agony. It won t let go and that heartbeat builds in momentum and volume. Then a breath a silence. And the music returns beautiful haunting. Until finally all is peace. God.

12 Page 12 MIConnect July 2016 Drinking the Cup The Peter Principle Rev. John W. Boley Clergy Assistant to the Bishop It was just before Thanksgiving last year when Bishop Deb asked if I would serve as Clergy Assistant to the Bishop. The question was a total surprise as I did not yet know that Melanie Carey had discerned a need and desire to return to the parish. In the course of a wide ranging and somewhat surreal conversation, I remember telling Bishop Deb that I thought that as a District Superintendent I had already risen to my level of incompetence. She chuckled and then continued with the conversation. And here I am - so apparently Bishop Deb believes that there are still additional levels of incompetence within me. This management thought process that everyone rises to the level of their incompetence is actually a management theory called The Peter Principle. It is named after Dr. Laurence J. Peter. Dr. Peter laid out this theory originally as a satire on how hierarchical structures end up having too many incapable people in place. He suggested that people are promoted based on past performance, but that they are not necessarily qualified for the new position and they become incapable. Thus, most hierarchical organizations have mostly incompetent people in place. Another way of describing the Peter Principle is that the cream rises until it sours. You may or may not agree with this satirical theory, but in any event, we Christians can put a powerful twist on it. Actually, although I don t necessarily agree with the Peter Principle, it probably contains some truth and I am challenged by it. All of us need to be pushed outside of our comfort zones in order to meet the challenges placed on us as disciples of Christ. We all need to take a leap of faith. We all need to be willing to fail on occasion. We are all sometimes called to think and act beyond ourselves we are called to things higher than our tightly controlled personalities and worldview. See.... CUP p.15 Drinking the Cup appears monthly in MIConnect s 3rd Wednesday edition. HALLER... from page 3 Haller s election completes the process in Peoria that brought four new bishops into The United Methodist Church. Others elected by NCJ delegates on July 13 were the Rev. Dr. Tracy Smith Malone (NIL), the Rev. Dr. Frank Beard (IN), and the Rev. Dr. David Bard (MN). Pastoring in Michigan since 1982, prior to going to Birmingham 1 st Haller served six years as a Superintendent of the Grand Rapids District and was co-pastor along with her husband, Gary, of Grand Rapids 1 st UMC for 13 years. Rev. Haller served as a director of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry from and is currently a Trustee at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary. Rev. Haller is married to Gary Haller, an elder in the West Michigan Conference. They have three young adult children and two grandchildren. Rev. Haller is an avid long distance runner, cyclist, triathlete, golfer and hiker. She also loves classical music, reading, traveling and prayer walking. The four new bishops were consecrated in a worship service held at Peoria 1st United Methodist Church on Saturday, July 16. At the close of the service Dr. Maggie Jackson, Chair of the NCJ Committee on the Episcopacy announced the area assignments for all nine bishops of the region. Bishop Haller will go to Iowa as the successor to Bishop Julius Trimble, who will serve the Indiana Conference for the coming four years. Bishop Haller will begin service in the Iowa Conference on September 1. The Cabinet of The Michigan Area is now at work on the appointment of the next Senior Pastor to Birmingham 1st UMC.

13 Page 13 MIConnect July 2016 Three opportunities to welcome Bishop David A. Bard Bishop David A. Bard arrives in Lansing to begin leadership among the United Methodists of Michigan on September 1. Getting to know the state - -its regions, its gifts its people will be a priority in those first few months in the mitten. So this is an invitation to pastors and laity from the four corners of Michigan to come to one of three get acquainted sessions. Plan to attend the location and Bishop David A. Bard will come to Michigan on September 1, 2016 to begin ministry as the spiritual shepherd and administrative leader for the state s United Methodists. ~mic photo/mark Doyal date most convenient. Mark calendars now for these times and places: Saturday, September 10, 2016: Waterford Central UMC, 3882 Highland Road, Waterford Township, MI; 10:30 am Sunday, October 16, 2016: Kalamazoo First UMC, 212 South Park Street, Kalamazoo; 3:00 pm Sunday, October 23, 2016: Indian River UMC, 956 Eagles Nest Road, Indian River, MI; 3:00 pm More details will be available soon but please plan ahead for this opportunity to meet and greet Michigan s new shepherd. A brief intro to Bishop Bard he has been serving at First United Methodist Church in Duluth, Minnesota since 2005 and has been in ministry for more than 30 years. Bishop Bard received a BA from the University of Minnesota, Duluth in 1981; his Master of Divinity was earned at United Theological Seminary, Twin Cities 1984; and in 1994 he received a Ph.D. from Southern Methodist University with a focus on Christian ethics. He and his wife, Julie, have three adult children. In his free time, he enjoys music, reading, baseball, and walking outside. Area reception set to say farewell to Bishop Laurie Haller An open house for Bishop Laurie Haller will be held at the Michigan Area Office 1011 Northcrest Road, Lansing on Saturday, August 13, This is an opportunity for the Michigan Area to thank Bishop Haller for her faithful ministry in both the West Michigan and Detroit conferences, and to offer best wishes as she moves to Iowa as their spiritual leader on September 1. The open house will be held in the Assembly Room from 3 to 6 pm. From Bishop Haller was the Superintendent of the Grand Rapids District. She pastored churches in the West Michigan Conference from 1982 through June, Since that time she has served Birmingham 1st United Methodist Church as the co-senior pastor with her husband, the Rev. Gary Haller. The Haller family was greeted during a reception at Peoria 1st UMC on July 16 following the Service of Consecration. ~ncj communications photo

14 Page 14 MIConnect July 2016 David Bard shares what it s like to become a UM bishop CHRISTA MELAND Minnesota Conference Friends, please meet Bishop David Alan Bard. As Bard can tell you, his life changed the moment those words were uttered Wednesday night. Within minutes of being elected bishop, he was taken to a room and given a packet of materials and documents to sign. While still a bishop-elect for one more day, Bard and the three other newly elected North Central Jurisdictional leaders will officially hold the title of bishop as of a consecration worship service Saturday morning at which time they ll learn where they will be assigned for the next four years and become official episcopal employees of The United Methodist Church. The new bishops immediately began sitting on stage along with the longer-tenured bishops and they are adjusting to being addressed in a new way. People joke with me, you ve lost your first name, said Bard. Everybody s calling you Bishop. As of July 16, Bard will no longer be appointed to First United Methodist Church in Duluth, where he s served for the past 11 years. But that doesn t mean he won t return to his congregation to tie up loose ends and say goodbye. August 7 will be his last Sunday at First UMC. The rest of August will be spent moving to his new Area (Michigan), attending a new bishop training at St. Simon s Island in Georgia, and making connections with his new colleagues. Bard will begin his new appointment on Sept. 1, and he said his first 90 days will be spent building relationships, listening, and getting to know his new conference. I want to hear the story of the area what is going well, what initiatives people there want to continue, where they would like some emphasis to strengthen some aspect of their ministry, he said. Bard knows there s much work ahead of him, but he s excited and prepared for the challenge. I m looking forward to the joy and challenge of helping the UMC navigate a difficult time in its life and, in the midst of that, helping churches be in ministry for Jesus Christ, he said. There are some daunting challenges, but there s a sense of adventure about it too. I am hoping something new can be born out of the chaos. The Minnesota Conference has a real deep sense of care and compassion about the world, Bard said. The people of Minnesota really want to help make the world a better place David Bard receives communion for the first time as a United Methodist bishop during worship at Peoria 1st UMC on July 16, ~mic photo/mark Doyal in the name and spirit of Jesus, whether that s in mission or concern for justice. They see that as an important part of Michigan leaders elected to serve the UMC Connection The Jurisdictional Conference does more than elect bishops. It also approves a Nominating Committee report that places persons on Jurisdictional and General boards and agencies. The following is a report of men and women from West Michigan and Detroit conferences who will serve for the next four years. NCJ Court of Appeals: Rev. Benton Heisler (WMC); Rev. Joy Barrett (DC/alternate) NCJ Committee on Investigation: Rev. Melanie Carey (DC); Rev. Bill Dobbs (DC/alternate) being a disciple of Jesus Christ. That s part of me and will be a part of who I am as a bishop. NCJ Committee on the Episcopacy: Rev. Dr. Charles Boayue (DC); Jackie Euper (DC); Rev. Benton Heisler (WMC); Nichea Ver Veer Guy (WMC) NCJ Mission Council: Rev. Brad Bartlemay (DC and WMC); Alex Plum (DC); Laura Witkowski (WMC) UM Connectional Table: Rev. Kennetha Bigham- Tsai (WMC) Gen Board of Church and Society: Paul Perez (DC) Gen Board of Pensions and Health Benefits: Rev. Don Emmert (DC)

15 Page 15 MIConnect July 2016 CUP from page 12 A while ago there was a guy named Peter, who might have lived the Peter Principle. He was bombastic, called Satan by his leader, could never quite grasp it all, and ultimately denied his Master when the going got tough. A good case could be made that Peter, a fisherman by trade, had indeed risen to his level of incompetence in this new and bewildering movement. But Jesus never cut him loose. Instead, the Risen Christ restored him by the seashore, and sent him back out to feed Christ s sheep. And we know the rest of the story. The Pentecostal Spirit grabbed him and then Peter rose above all of his inclinations and abilities to lead our worldwide movement. Perhaps another way of saying that we rise to the level of our incompetence is that we are called to take risks and act boldly for Christ with gifts and I am so thankful that we have so many leaders who are willing to risk in order to build a new Michigan Conference. graces that are sometimes not readily apparent and are still in development. I am intimidated by the challenges of being Clergy Assistant to the Bishop, especially with a new Bishop on the way, a General Conference in turmoil, and a new Annual Conference to build. And yet, I am willing to risk failure, willing to be pushed beyond my comfort zone, and willing to take this leap of faith for sake of Christ s Church. As a local church pastor, I often felt inadequate, so why should I stop now? As I look where our Michigan Area is headed, I am thankful that we have so many leaders who are willing to risk in order to build a new Michigan Conference. Our project of building a new conference is a journey where no one knows all of the answers and everyone is on an unfamiliar path The Rev. John W. Boley (right) was present in the congregation gathered in Peoria 1st UMC on July 16 to witness the consecration of four new bishops for The United Methodist Church. Boley was a Reserve Delegate for West Michigan to the NCJ Conference and serves as the Assistant to the Bishop of The Michigan Area. ~mic photo/mark Doyal headed to something new and different. I just returned from the North Central Jurisdictional Conference. It was an amazing week. It included a very powerful Episcopal Address by Bishop Deb. And we elected four new Bishops (Shout out to Bishop Bard and Bishop Haller!!!) and then witnessed the assignment of all nine of our Bishops to our Annual Conferences. My guess is that all nine of these great disciples and human beings often wonder about their own abilities in facing monumental joys and challenges. And yet they have made themselves available for the work of Christ in very challenging times. And the Holy Spirit moved powerfully last week in Peoria. And that is ultimately the difference between us and the average hierarchical structure we call on the power of the Holy Spirit and are led by the Risen Christ. It took Peter the disciple to places unthinkable even to the heart of the Empire. It empowers new Episcopal Leaders, Design Team leaders, local church leaders, and clergy and laity of all stripes. So bring on The Peter Principle! Thanks be to God for the power of the Holy Spirit to take us beyond ourselves to new heights!

16 Page 16 MIConnect July 2016 United Methodist News in Brief The NCJ elected two women to the episcopacy. L-r: Bishop Frank Beard, Bishop Laurie Haller, Bishop Tracy S. Malone, and Bishop David Bard. ~ncj communications On July 15, 2016 the Rev Karen Oliveto was elected by the Western Jurisdiction. She stands with Big Sky Bishop Elaine Stanovsky and Los Angeles Area Bishop Minerva Carcaño. ~umns photo The Council of Bishops stood together at the 2016 General Conference in Portland as Council President Bruce R. Ough shared A Way Forward. ~umns photo WOMEN MAKE HISTORY The United Methodist Church made history in 2016 electing the most women in any new class of bishops in this denomination or its predecessor bodies. All told, four U.S. jurisdictions elected seven women bishops. Put another way, more women won elections this year than are retiring. The Rev. Sharma Lewis and the Rev. Sue Haupert-Johnson were elected by the Southeastern Jurisdiction, the Revs. Cynthia Moore-Koikoi and LaTrelle Miller Easterling were elected in the Northeastern Jurisdiction, along with the Revs. Tracy Smith Malone and Laurie Haller in the North Central Jurisdiction. The Western Jurisdiction elected the Rev. Karen Oliveto, who is also making headlines as the denomination s first openly gay bishop. WESTERN JURISDICTION ELECTS OLIVETO On July 16 in Scottdale, Arizona the Rev. Karen Oliveto was consecrated, the first out lesbian to be elected a bishop of The United Methodist Church. Oliveto and Greater Northwest Episcopal Area Bishop Grant Hagiya answered questions about what her election as bishop means, since the denomination forbids ordaining practicing, self-avowed homosexuals. Oliveto has been legally married to Robin Ridenour for more than two years, and they have been in a relationship since they met at a junior-high camp as counselors 17 years ago. Hagiya said, We understand there may be some political implications It was not a question of (sexual) orientation, it was a question of who was the best spiritual leader. The body spoke and said Yes, this is the one. BISHOPS TAKE NEXT STEPS FORWARD The Executive Committee of the Council of Bishops met July in Chicago and approved a framework for implementing the Commission on a Way Forward and took a step toward a called session of the General Conference in 2018.The Council adopted a purpose statement for the Commission, including its mission, vision and scope, and determined that it will be composed of members to be identified by August 31 with a target of October for an initial meeting. Each bishop will nominate up to five persons, and names that have previously been submitted to either the president or executive secretary of the Council will be considered as well. An invitation to prayer for the Commission involving the entire church, called Praying umns our Way photo Forward, will be launched in October.